Corporate prayer…a shared raising of voices together as a group. This joined assembly of Believers not only strengthens those participating individually, but shows us as a group just how powerful we can be when joined together in prayer. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 18:20, ” For where two or three come together in My name, there am I with them.” There is mighty power from on high when we gather together to pray.
Month: May 2014
Luke 18:1 ” Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”
Jesus was a cheerleader, rallying His team…encouraging them to never lose heart when praying. We humans pray for a moment, and then become discouraged when God doesn’t answer immediately. The Lord wants us to be steadfast in our prayers…not giving in to defeat, and never giving up hope.
I Thessalonians 5:17 ” Pray without ceasing…”
Our bodies have involuntary actions…things that happen spontaneously, without us thinking about them…breathing and the beating of our hearts are two main actions. Prayer – an ongoing, continuous, active conversation with our Heavenly Father should be in the same manner. Talking with God should be as natural as breathing, as unforced as a heartbeat. Conversation with the Lord should be just that – talking with your very best friend about everything and anything that’s on your heart.
John 5:17 ” Jesus said to them, ‘ My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working.’ “
We sometimes feel that the Lord has all but forgotten us and our problems. We ask,” Where are you God? Don’t you even care about me anymore?” But God the Father is relentlessly working on our behalf…all the time…in every situation and area of our lives.
Psalms 85:13 ” Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.”
Your righteousness goes before you…your honesty, integrity and fairness towards others goes ahead to establish and place you in the exact location the Lord wants you in next. You may think your journey for this season of your life is a mystery, with many unanswered questions…but the Lord has your path already made firm and sure. It’s time to step out.
Isaiah 56: 7 “…for My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
Public prayer, in public gatherings…public invocations that were once commonplace, expected and even looked forward to by many at sporting events, meetings, and gatherings. These prayers have sadly become more ceremonial as we attempt to become tolerant and politically correct in all aspects of our society. But the question to every Believer is – have we begrudgingly accept a watered down expression of our faith in the public setting, thus compromising our faith for the sake of correctness?
Numbers 12: 6-8 ” When a prophet of the Lord is among you, I reveal Myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams. But this is not true of My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord.”
Moses had a very unique relationship with God. When they conversed, it was direct and open, with no guessing what was being said between the two of them. God didn’t speak to Moses using parables or proverbs…but rather He spoke openly and honestly. And during these conversations, Moses gazed upon the brilliant manifestation of God’s glory.
Acts 10: 34-35 ” Then Peter began to speak: ‘ I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.’ “
Growing up, one of my favorite songs in Sunday School was, “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.” And He does…He loves every nation, every tribe, every person – in every far-flung corner of this world. We are all His children, and accepted equally by Him.
I Chronicles 14:15 ” As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.”
If the Lord has called you to something, He has already gone out ahead, preparing the way for you. He will not send you out unprepared, ill-equipped, or without instructions beforehand. Your responsibility when you sense His voice, is to move when He says, “Go!”.
Galatians 6:1 ” Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.”
“Restore him gently.” The word for restore means to repair a ripped fishing net. The word gently we usually think of meekness, but the Greek word for this was defined by Aristotle as, “Getting angry at the right time, in the right measure, for the right reason.” So to restore someone gently then means that we are able to return the person to a productive life…hating the sin, but loving the sinner throughout the process.
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